Self-compensating brake



Oct. 9, 1956 Original Filed Jan. 7, 1950 F. E. BACHMAN ETAL SELF-COMPENSATING BRAKE 5 Sheets-Sheet l C- 9 1956 F. E. BACI-:MAN ETAL 2,765,379

SELF-COMPENSATING BRAKE original Filed Jan. j?, 195o i :s sheets-smet 2 C 9, 1956 F. E. BACHMAN ETAL 765,879

SELF-COMPENSATING BRAKE' Original Eiled'Jan. 7, 1950 Z5 Sheets-Sheet 5 States SELF-COMPENSATNG BRAKE Fred E. Bachman, St. Louis, Mo., and .iohn G. Spelman, Jr., Hartford City, Ind., assignors to American Steei Foundries, Chicago, lll., a corporation of New .ierscy 17 Claims. (Cl. 18S-19S) The invention relates to railway brake equipment and more particularly to a novel self-compensating brake incorporating a novel slack adjuster.

This application is a division of our copending application for Wheel and Off Wheel Brakes, Serial No. 137,454, tiled on January 7, 1950, now Patent No. 2,695,686.

The invention contemplates a novel slack adjuster that automatically compensates for wear in the frictionally engaging parts of the brake system.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to utilize hydraulic means to actuate brake means for a railway car truck and to provide a pneumatic unit to energize said hydraulic means.

It is a further and more speciiic object of the invention to provide a hydraulic pneumatic slack adjusting mechanism to accommodate wear in the braking system.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the speciiication and the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railway car truck incorporating the invention and including a schematic diagram of the hydraulic and pneumatic systems;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the lower right-hand corner of the truck structure shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the brake mechanism shown in Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 6 with the connecting link removed;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the head with the friction device applied thereto;

Figure l0 is a rear view of the head; and

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of the slack adjuster.

In certain views parts may be omitted where more clearly shown in others.

Describing the invention in detail, the truck comprises a frame generally indicated 2 including spaced side rails 4, 4 interconnected at their ends by end rails 6, 6 and intermediate their ends by spaced transoms 8, 8, the transoms affording a support for a car body supporting bolster (not shown) in the usual manner, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Each side rail 4 comprises spaced pedestals 10, 10 at each end thereof to accommodate a journal box (not shown) of a wheel and axle assembly 12. The frame 2 is supported by springs 14 (Figure 5) from an equalizer 16, the ends of which are seated in conventional manner on the journal boxes (not shown) on the wheel and axle assemblies. Each wheel and axle assembly 12 includes an axle 18 and spaced wheels 2t), 20. Each arent wheel and axle assembly carries a brake disk 22 preferably adjacent each wheel 26 inboardly thereof.

A package brake structure generally designated 24 is mounted adjacent each disk 22 from the adjacent transom. Each brake structure 24 comprises a housing 26 from the top of which project a pair of torque lugs 28, 28 connected as by bolts 30, 3i) to torque arms 32, 32 of a U-shaped yoke 34. The yoke 34 comprises a mounting portion 36 interconnecting the arms 32, 32 and connected to the adjacent transom 8 as by welding at 38, 38. Spacers 40, 40 are preferably disposed between each lug 28 and arm 32 to adjust the height of the brake structure as the wheels wear.

Each housing 26 carries power devices 42 and 44. The power device 42 is a double acting type and comprises a cylinder 46 and a piston 48 extending from each end thereof. The power device 42 is connected in any convenient manner to the top wall 50 of the housing as by a iluid conduit or pipe 52 connected to the cylinder 46 and extending through the top Wall 5t) of the housing and connected thereto as by a nut 54. The power device 42 extends between the inner ends of a pair of generally horizontally disposed brake levers 56, 56 which extend through the forward side of the housing. Each piston 48 may engage the adjacent lever 56 as at 58. The levers 56, 56 may be pivoted by pins 60 intermediate their ends to opposite ends of a fulcrum block 62 and the fulcrum block may be pivoted as at 64, 64 to a Wall 66 of the housing and a cover plate 68 connected to the forward side of the housing as by bolts 78. The outer ends of the levers 56 pivotally carry on bolt 72 brake head and shoe assemblies 74, including composition brake shoes 75, arranged to engage the opposite sides of the associated disk or rotor 22. A release spring 76 is connected between the levers 56, 56.

The power device 44 is mounted within the housing 26 inboardly of the power device 42 and comprises a cylinder 78 which may be connected as by bolts 8i) to a cover plate 82 connected as by bolts 84 to the inboard side of the housing 26. A tluid conduit 86 extends from one end of the cylinder 78 and is connected as by a nut 88 to a forward wall 90 of the housing. A piston 92 extends from the other end of the cylinder 78 and is arranged to actuate a generally horizontally disposed lever 94. The piston 92 engages the lever 94 as at 96 adjacent the inner end thereof. The lever 94 is pivoted intermediate its ends on a generally vertical pin 98 which is journaled to top and bottom walls 50 and 102 of the housing 26, the pin 98 being retained in position by a cap 104 which is secured to the top wall 50 of the housing as by bolts 106, 166. The lever 94 extends at its outboard end outboardly of an outboard wall 108 of the housing through an opening 114i therein into a brake head guide provided at the outboard side of the housing, the opening being sealed by a iiexible dust cover 111 which extends across the opening and is fastened to the lever.

rfhe guide comprises spaced inboard and outboard jaws, the inboard jaw being formed integral with the outboard side of the outboard wall of the housing and comprising spaced top and bottom jaw members 112 and M4 which extend forwardly of a rear wall 116 of the housing and are connected thereto. The rear wall 116 of the housing is extended outboardly of the inboard jaw and is connected to forwardly extending spaced top and bottom jaw members 118 and 126 of the outboard jaw. The rear side of the part of wall 116 which extends outboardly of the housing 26 is slidably seated as at 121 against the lower end of a torque arm 122, the upper end of which is connected to the adjacent transom as by welding at 124. The jaw members of the inboard and outboard guides define slots 126 and 128 therebetween, respectiveiy, said slots being aligned transversely of the truck and extending longitudinally radially with respect to the axis of the adjacent wheel and axle assembly.

A brake head 130 is disposed generally vertically between the inboard and outboard jaws of the guide in alignment with the adjacent wheel. The head carries a preferably cast iron shoe 132 in conventional manner on its forward side. The ead is provided on its rear side with a hub 134 having a cylindrical opening within which is disposed a bearing 136 in complementary cylindrical face engagement with the hub to accommodate rotation of the head to adjust the shoe against the wheel. The bearing is provided with a substantially rectangular opening 138 extending open to the rear of the head. A bar 146, rectangular in cross section, extends complementally within the opening 138 in the bearing 136 through the opening in the hub 134. The opposite ends of the bar 140 project beyond the inboard and outboard sides of the head and are received within a U-shaped wear plate 142.

The wear plate 142 comprises top and bottom portions 144 and 146 interconnected by forward portions 14S, 143. The wear plate 142 is bifurcated at its forward end as at 156 to accommodate the brake head therein.

The inboard and outboard edges of the top and bottom portions 144 and 146 of the wear plate extend into the slots 126 and 128, respectively. The top portion 144 is adapted to engage wear plates 152, 152 mounted on the bottom and adjacent sides of the top jaw members 112 and 118, and the bottom portion 146 engages wear plates 154, 154 mounted on the top and adjacent sides of the jaw members 114 and 120. The top portion 144 is offset upwardly between its inboard and outboard edges and extends between the jaw members 112 and 118, and the bottom portion 146 is offset downwardly intermediate its inboard and outboard edges and extends between the bottom jaw members 114 and 120 whereby the wear plate is maintained centered with respect to the inboard and outboard jaws. The wear plates slidably engage along generally at surfaces whereby the brake head assembly is movable within the slots 126 and 128 radially toward and away from the wheel. The rear side of the hub 134 is provided with a slot 156 (Figures 9 and 10) widened as at 158 to accommodate the forward end of a link or strut 160 (Fig. 4), said forward end of the link 160 being bifurcated and extending over the top and bottom of the bar 140 (Figure 6) within the recesses 162, 162 in the bearing 136 at the top and bottom of opening 138 therein. It will be noted that the link is accommodated limited rotational movement transversely of the brake head with respect to the brake head, the bar and the bearing inasmuch as the recesses 162, 162 are larger than the link. The brake head is connected to the bearing, the bar, and the link by a bolt 164 (Figure 3) which extends through the narrow portions 166. 166 at opposite ends of slot 156 in the hub 134 of the brake head through openings 167, 167 in the bearing (Figure 6), openings 168, 168 in the link, and opening 170 in the bar 140. Rotation of the head is resisted by friction elements 171, 171 frictionally engaging the hub 134, the shoes being urged into said engagement by a spring 172 which is compressed between one of the elements 171 and a nut 174 threaded on the bolt 164. 1t will be noted that the spring directly urges one element 171 against the hub, and the other element 171 is urged against the hub by the spring pressure which is transmitted through the bolt to the head 176 of the bolt against the other element 171.

The link 169 extends between the top and bottom portions of the wear plate 142 and at its rear end is bifurcated and extends above and below the outer end of the lever 94 and is connected thereto by a bolt 178 which also connects the top and bottom portions 144 and 146 of the plate 142 to said lever 94. It will be noted that the openings in the top and bottom portions 144 and 146 of the plate 142 through which the bolt 17S extends are oval-shaped and elongated transversely of the truck to accommodate limited movement of the link transversely of the truck as the brake head and shoe assembly is moved toward and away from the associated wheel.

The actuating means for the power devices 42 and 44 comprises a conventional pneumatic power unit comprising a cylinder 136 which may be mounted on the truck frame or associated car body. A piston 181 reciprocates in cylinder 180 and is connected to a stem 182 which projects from one end of the cylinder. The stern 182 is connected as at 184 to one end of a live lever 186. The other end of the lever 186 is connected as at 188 to a piston 19t) extending into one end of a master hydraulic cylinder 192. The lever 186 is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 194 to one end of a pull rod 196, the opposite end of the pull rod being connected as at 198 to a link 260 intermediate the ends thereof, the opposite ends of the link 200 being connected as at 202 and 264 to the opposite ends of the air cylinder and hydraulic cylinder, respectively. The air cylinder is connected to an air conduit 266 of the associated car. The master cylinder is connected to a main line 268 which is connected to the branch lines 210, 210 connected to the conduits 86, 86 associated with the cylinders 78, 78 of the power devices 44, 44. The main line is also connected by branch lines 212, 212 to the conduits 52 of the power devices 42. The main line 268 is connected by a branch line 214 to an outlet port 216 (Figure ll) of an automatic slack adjuster generally indicated 218. The slack adjuster comprises an inlet port 226 which is connected to one end of a pneumatic pipe line 222, the other end of line 222 being connected to the cylinder 180 through a port 224.

In operation, air is supplied under pressure through the pipe 266 to the cylinder 180, causing the piston within the cylinder to move the piston stem to the right (Figure l) whereby the lever is caused to pivot about point 194 in a clockwise direction to urge the piston 190 into the cylinder 192 whereby hydraulic fluid contained in cylinder 192 and the hydraulic lines is transmitted under pressure through the main line 20S and the branch lines 210 and 212. The uid in lines 216 flows into cylinders 73 of the power devices 44 through the conduits 86. The piston 92 of each device 44 is caused to move toward the associated lever 94 whereby the lever is rotated in a direction urging its outer end toward the associated wheel. This movement of each lever 94 is transmitted to the associated brake head and shoe assembly by the link 166 whereby the brake shoe 132 is caused to engage the tread of the associated wheel 20. Simultaneously, the duid in lines 212 flows into the power devices 42 whereby the pistons 4S, 46 of each power device 42 are caused to move apart against the respective levers 56 and to rotate the same in directions engaging the shoes of the brake head assemblies 74 against the associated rotor. It will be understood that the rotor-engaging brake means and the wheel-engaging means are actuated simultaneously.

To release the brakes, the `air is exhausted in the cylinder whereupon pressure in the hydraulic lines is caused to drop and the tlnid is caused to ow from the power devices 42 and 44 through the hydraulic lines into the master cylinder. ribis action is attained by the release springs 76 which contr-act and cause the levers 56 to move in directions disengaging the shoes 75 from the related brake disk 22. Release means of each lever 56 also causes the associated piston 43 to move into the related cylinder 46. At the same time the pistons 92 are moved into respective cylinders 78 by relative movement of the levers 94 against the respective pistons in directions disengaging the wheel brake means. Each lever 94 is roiatcd to release position against the associated piston 92 by a release spring 223 which is connected :at one end by bolt 225 to the inner end of lever 94 and secured at the other end by a bolt 226 to a bracket 228 which is preferably formed integral with the cover plate 82 of Ithe associated housing. The inner end of each lever 94 projects through an opening 229 in the cover plate 82, said opening being closed by a exible dust seal 231 sleeved over lever 94 :and connected to the cover plate 82.

The return flow of iiuid into the cylinder 192 upon release moves the piston 190 to the right (Figure 1) whereby the lever 156 will rotate in la counte'rclockwise direction and move the stem 182 and the piston 15.?. associated therewith into the cylinder 180,

The slack adjuster 218 is operative intermittently to adjust for wear, as hereinafter described, and comprises a body 230 which comprises a uid reservoir 232 `at its upper end containing7 hydraulic fluid. The top of the reservoir is covered by a plate 234 secured yto the top of the body as by bolts 236. The cover plate 234 is provided with an air vent cap 238 which permits air 'to enter into the reservoir above the fluid therein. Beneath the reservoi-r the body 230 comprises a cylinder 240, the opposite ends of which are closed by end plates 242 and 244 secured to the body as by bolts 246 and 248, respectively. The plate 242 is provided with the before mentioned po-rt 220 which is connected to the pneumatic line 222. A pisyton generally designated 250 is disposed within the cylinder 240 in slidable iiuid-tight engagement therewith and divides the cylinder into an air chamber 252 and a uid chamber 254. A liXed sleeve 256 is mounted in chamber 252 preferably coaxial with cylinder 240 and connected at one end to the inner side of the cover plate 242, The sleeve 256 has a passage 258 therethrough communicating with port 220 at one end and through ports 259, 259 with chamber 252. The sleeve 256 is provided with an apertured abutment 260 intermediate its ends within passage 258.

A one-way valve is positioned in passage 25S between one side of abutment 260 and plate 242, said valve cornprising a compression spring 262 seat-ed at one end against one side of the abutment 260 and at the other end surrounding a shank 264 of `a valve stem and seating a-t its other end against a head 266 connected to the shank, said spring 262 normally urging the stem to closed position, whereat the head 266 seats in a complementary resilient conical seat 268 att-ached to plate 242 around the inner end of port 229. A slidable sleeve or piston 270 is reciprocally mounted in passage 258 at the opposite side of abutment 260 in huid-tight engagement with the fixed sleeve 256. The sleeve 270 in the neutral position of the piston 250 seats at one end against said opposite side of abutment 260 and is positioned across ports 272 and 274, closing the same. Port 272 communicates with the air chamber 252 and port 274 communicates with an eX- haust line 275 which extends through cylinder 240 and is open to the atmosphere. Sleeve 270 is provided with apertured stops 276 and 278 at opposite ends. The sleeve 270 has a lost-motion connection with the head 280 of the piston 250, said connection comprising a bolt having a shank 282 threaded into `the head 280 .at one end and extending into the sleeve 270 through the aperture in stop 276. A head 284 is provided at the other end of the shank 232 and is movable between stops 276 and 278.

ri`he head 280 of piston 250 carries a 'seal 286 in iluidtight engagement with the cylinder 240. A skirt 28S is formed around the periphery of -the head 280 `and eX- tends into the ilu-id chamber 254, said skirt having a port 290 registering with port 292 in cylinder 240. Port 290 communicates with chamber 254 and port 292 communicates with reservoir 232 whereby in the aligned position ot ports 290 and 292 uid is .admitted into chamber 254 from the reservoir 232. The head 250 is urged to its neutral position as shown by a spring 294 under compression between and seated at one end against plate 244 and at the other end against the adjacent vside of the piston head 280. The head 280 and plate 244 are provided with bosses 296 and 298 positioning respective ends of the spring 294.

The iiuid chamber -communicates through port 300 in plate 244 with the before mentioned port 216 in a bonnet 302 connected to the external si-de of the plate 244. A one-way valve is mounted within the bonnet 302 and comprises a spring 304 compressed between a seat 306 on the bonnet and a head 308 of a valve stem, the spring normally urging the head 308 against a resilient, complementary, conical seat 310 on plate 244 around port 300 to close the port 300.

The slack adjuster operates after a predetermined movement of the piston 181 in the air cylinder takes place, opening port 224 in cylinder (Figure 1) lso that the air admitted under pressure in cylinder 180 is conducted through port 224 to the pneumatic line 222. This lmovement of piston 181 ltakes place `aft-er the brake shoes wear a predetermined amount. The high pressure :air flows through port 220 unseating the head 266 of the valve stem, whereby the air flows through passage 258 and ports 259 into the air chamber 252. The pressure of the air in the air chamber 252 builds up and moves the piston 250 to the left until the port 290 is moved past port 292 when a state of equilibrium is rea-ched. The uid during braking application in chamber 254 will not unseat the head 308 inasmuch as a greater back pressure is eX- erted aga-inst the head 308 by the fluid in line 214 and port or passage 216. -It will be noted that as soon as the pressures in chamber 252 and cylinder 180 reach equilibrium, the head 266 is urged to closed position by the spring 262. The compressed air is -thus trapped in chamber 252. When ythe -air cylinder 180 is exhausted, the fluid in the lines iiows in return to cylinder 192; the back pressure against the head 305 is reduced to zero. rThereupon the compressed air in chamber 252 moves the piston 250 to the left, exhausting the fluid in chamber 254 under pressure through port 300 and 216 into the branch line 214, line 208 into the cylinder 192, by unseating the head 308 and moving it to open position. rl`he movement of piston 250 continues until the head 284 engages stop 276 and moves the sleeve 270 to the left to a position opening ports 272 .and 274 to line 275, whereby the air is exhausted `to the atmosphere. The pressure on the iiuid in chamber 254 is relieved; the head 308 1s urged by spring 304 to closed position against seat 310, closing port 300. The piston 250 is moved to `the right by spring 294. During this movement of piston 250 the fluid Hows into chamber 254 from reservoir 232 through a one-way valve 312. After certain movement of the piston 250, the head 284 engages stop 278 on sleeve 270, the sleeve being moved to the right until it closes por-ts 272 and 274 and seats iagainst 'the abutment 260 and `thereby preventing 4further movement of piston 250 to the right. The slack adjuster is now ready to repeat the cycle when another adjustment is required.

A handbrake arrangement is provided for the wheelengaging brake means and comprises an equalizer 314 (Figure 4) connected at opposite ends by bolts 225 Ito the inner ends of levers 94 of the brake means associated with the same wheel and axle assembly. The equalizer' is connected as at 3X6 intermediate its ends to one end of a cable 318 which passes around a pulley 320 mounted on a bracket 322 which is connected to the adjacent transom 8. The other end of the cable is connected to any conventional operating means, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In operation, the last mentioned end or" the. cable is pulled to the right (Figure 4) whereby its one end and equalizer 314 is moved to Athe left and in turn rotating the levers 94 connected thereto in brake-applying direc- !tions to apply the shoes against respective wheels 20. Upon release, the parts move in reverse directions by release springs 223.

It is to be noted that we have shown our novel selfcompensating braking system as applied with wheel and oi wheel brake rigging, however, it will be apparent to those lskilled in the art 4that the novel self compensating features of our invention may be applied to any brake rigging that may be susceptible to hydraulic pneumatic actuation.

We claim:

1. In an automatic slack adjuster, a body comprising a reservoir at its upper end containing fluid, and a cylinder at its lower end with inlet and outlet means, a piston reciprocal within the cylinder dividing 4the same into an air chamber and a fluid chamber, means for supplying air under pressure into said air chamber through said linlet means, means connecting said fluid chamber with the reservoir to admit fluid into the former, said piston being movable by the pressure of ai-r in said air chamber to exhaust said uid chamber through said outlet means, and means for limiting said last mentioned movement oi the piston comprising a valve for exhausting the air from said lair chamber, and a lost motion connection bctween the piston and valve etective to open the valve after predetermined movement in the piston in exhausting said uid chamber.

2. In an automatic slack adjusting device, a body comprising a iiuid reservoir, a cylinder, `a piston slidably disposed Within the cylinder and in fluid-tight engagement therewith, a uid chamber and an air chamber lon opposite sides of said piston, passage means establishing communication between the fluid reservoir and lthe iiuid chamber, one-way entrance means associated with the air chamber operative to admit air under pressure thereto to move said piston into said liuid chamber, one-way exhaust means operative to emit fluid from said fluid chamber in response to said piston movement, and means rto exhaust air from the air chamber responsive to a predetermined movement of the piston.

3. In an automatic slack adjusting device, a body comprising a fluid reservoir and an operating cylinder, said operating cylinder having a piston reciprocal therein and dividing said cylinder into a fluid chamber having iiuid therein and an air chamber, one-way passage means operatively connecting the reservoir and uid chamber, port means permitting entrance of air under pressure to said air chamber, other one-way port means permitting emission of said iluid from said iiuid chamber, and means furnishing pressured air to said air chamber operative to move said piston and cause the emission of tluid from .the iiuid chamber, and means to exhaust the air from said air chamber :operative responsive to a predetermined movement of said piston.

4. In an automatic slack adjusting device, a body comprising a uid reservoir having an air vent therein, a cylinder disposed beneath the reservoir, end plates closing opposite ends of the cylinder, a piston slidably disposed in fluid-tight engagement within .the cylinder and dividing said cylinder into an air chamber and a iiuid chamber, passage `means connecting the reservoir and fluid chamber, a cylindrical sleeve dening a passage disposed within the air chamber and connected to one cover plate, a pneumatic port in said one cover plate communicating with said passage, one-way valve means disposed within the passage and coacting with said port, other ports in the sleeve connecting said passage with said air chamber, another piston reciprocal within said sleeve, exhaust means normally closed by said second mentioned piston, a lost motion connection between said piston and said other piston, and port means associated with said tluid chamber operative to permit escape of hydraulic fluid from said uid chamber as the piston moves into the iluid chamber in response to air pressure in the air chamber.

5. An automatic slack adjusting device according to claim 4, wherein said exhaust means are opened to permit escape of the pressured air in the air chamber upon movement of said piston a xed distance into the iiuid chamber and thereby halting movement of said piston.

6. An automatic slack adjusting device according to 8 claim 5, including spring means disposed within the uid chamber and compressed between the other end plate and said piston 'operative to yieldably resist entrance of said piston into said fluid chamber, and to close said exhaust means in response to the escape of the pressured air from said air chamber.

7. An automatic slack adjusting device according to claim 4, in which said passage means provides a free iiow of uid from the reservoir to the fluid chamber prior to movement cf said piston into said tluid chamber.

8. An automatic slack adjusting device according to claim 7, and including other communicating means having a one-Way valve permitting the i'lzow of tiuid from the reservoir to the uid chamber only during the return of said piston from said urid chamber,

9. ln combination, a body comprising adjacent fluid reservoir and cylinder, cover plates sealing opposite ends of the cylinder, a piston slidably disposed Within the cylinder and dividing same into fluid chamber and air charnber, a port in the wall of the reservoir, another port in the piston normally registrable with the first mentioned port whereby fluid is allowed to flow from the reservoir to the iluid chamber, one-way valve means connected to each of said chambers, one of said valves operative to permit the ingress of air under pressure lto the air chamber and the other of said valves operative to permit the egress of iiuid from .the fluid chamber, and exhaust means responsive to the movement of said piston to exhaust the pressured air from the air chamber.

l0. The combination of claim 9, wherein said exhaust means consist of an exhaust port in the air chamber, another piston normally sealing the exhaust port, and a lost motion connection between said other piston and the first mentioned piston.

11. In Ia self-compensating brake arrangement for a railway car truck having a frame and a supporting wheel and axle assembly, brake means carried by the frame engageable with the assembly, a hydraulic cylinder connected to the brake means to actuate same, a hydraulic device carried by the frame, a hydraulic conduit connecting the cylinder 4and device, a pneumatic power device operatively connected to the hydraulic device for actuating same, an independent slack adjusting mechanism carried by the frame, a conduit provided with a one-way valve interconnecting one side of said mechanism and said rst mentioned conduit, and another conduit provided with a one-way valve interconnecting said mechanism and said pneumatic power device, said mechanism being operative responsive to operation of said pneumatic power device to deliver uid to said hydraulic conduit to cornpensate for Wear in said brake means in response to a predetermined operation of said pneumatic device.

12. A brake arrangement for a railway car truck according Ito claim 11, wherein said slack adjusting mechanism comprises `a body having a cylinder with a piston slidably disposed therein and dividing said cylinder into fluid and air chambers, said one conduit being connected to the fluid chamber and said other conduit being connected to the air chamber.

13. A self-compensating brake arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the operative connection between the pneumatic device and the hydraulic device consists of a piston and connected rod movable by said pneumatic device, and a piston and connected rod extending from said hydraulic device, and a lever fulcrumcd intermediate its ends and having its opposite ends connected to said rods, whereby the connecting rod of the pneumatic device is connected to the hydraulic device, and the connecting rod of the hydraulic device is connected to the pneumatic device.

14. In a self-compensating brake arrangement for a railway car truck comprising a wheel and axle assembly and including a wheel and a brake disk rotatable therewith, a brake s-tructure comprising a support, wheel engaging brake means carried by the support, independent brake means carried by the support to engage the disk, each of said brake means including a hydraulic actuating cylinder, a hydraulic power unit containing a`hydraulic uid, conduit means connecting said unit with said actuating cylinders for conducting fluid from said unit to said cylinders to actuate the latter upon actuating of the former, a pneumatic power device operatively connected to the unit to actuate same, and a slack adjusting mechanism comprising a cylinder having an operative piston therein dividing said cylinder into a uid chamber and an air chamber, a one-way valve in the i'luid chamber accommodating escape of the iiuid from said chamber, a conduit connecting said one-way valve .to said conduit means, another one-way valve accommodating entrance of air to the air chamber, a conduit interconnecting said other one-way valve and said pneumatic power device, said slack adjusting mechanism being actuable by movement of said pneumatic power device a predetermined amount,

15. In a self-compensating hydraulic pneumatic brake, a pneumatic power device including a cylinder and a piston movable in one direction therein to apply said brake, a hydraulic power device operatively connected to the piston for operation thereby, brake means operated by the hydraulic power device including -a hydraulic brake cylinder connected thereto, movable means associated with said brake means for braking engagement thereby, and wear compensating slack adjusting means compristing a body with a reservoir at its upper end containing hydraulic uid, a cylinder therebelow closed at opposite ends, a piston reciprocal within the cylinder and dividing the same into an air chamber and a fluid chamber, oneway valve means connecting the fluid chamber to the reservoir and accommodating ow of uid from the reservoir to the iiuid chamber, an operative connection between said pneumatic cylinder and said air chamber operative to admit air under pressure in-to said air chamber from the pneumatic cylinder after a predetermined movement of said pneumatic piston, means for closing said air chamber from communication with said pneumatic cylinder when the pressure in the air chamber and pneumatic cylinder is equalized, a connection between the fluid chamber and said hydraulic brake cylinder and i11- cluding another one-way valve means only permitting the uid in the uid chamber to exhaust therefrom to said brake cylinder, said last mentioned valve means being maintainable in closed position by the back pressure in said connection between the hydraulic cylinder and Huid chamber during braking application, said last mentioned valve means being opened when said back pressure is reduced below the pressure on the slack adjuster piston by said air in said air chamber, whereupon said uid is caused to ilow from said fluid chamber into said hydraulic cylinder, and means for exhausting said air chamber after a predetermined movement `of said slack yadjuster piston.

16. In combination, a body containing -a cylinder having a piston reciprocal therein, said piston dividing said cylinder into a fluid chamber and an air chamber, a. fluid source having two fluid passages connected to the fluid chamber, a one-way valve in one of said passages, port means associated with each chamber, one .of said port means being a one-way valve operative to admit pressured air to only said air chamber whereby said pis-ton is urged 4to move in said cylinder, and .the other of said port means operative to emit fluid from the fluid chamber in response -to the mentioned movement of said piston, exhaust means allowing the escape of said pressured air from said `air chamber upon movement of said piston a xed distance, and spring means connected to the piston operative to return said piston after the exhaustion of said pressured air.

17. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck, a frame carried by a wheel and axle assembly, brake means carried by the frame engageable with said assembly, a hydraulic device having a connection to said brake means operative to actuate same, a slack adjusting mechanism comprising a cylinder having a piston therein dividing the cylinder into a fluid chamber and an air chamber, a pneumatic power device including a cylinder and a piston movable in one direction therein to actuate said hydraulic device, uid passage means including a one-way valve leading from said uid chamber to said hydraulic device, air passage means including a one-way valve leading from said pneumatic power device cylinder to said air chamber, and means operable responsive to movement of said pneumatic power device piston in said one direction to cause a flow of air under pressure through said air passage means into said air chamber to move said slack adjuster piston into said iluid chamber and displace uid therefrom through said iuid passage means lto said hydraulic device.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,569,143 Robinson Jan. 12, 1926 1,738,395 Sauvage Dec, 3, 1929 2,201,571 Aikman May 21,.1940

FOREIGN PATENTS 630,350 France Aug. 20, 1927 

